Month: October 2013

The sounds of the live band playing, the bustle of people trying to grab all the produce they can, oh and what’s that? Is that a whiff of freshly made waffle cones? This all happens at the Farmer’s Market, held locally in Arcata every Saturday. The square fills up with vendors ranging from honey to flowers to food. Everything sold at the farmers market is organic and fresh. No preservatives here that’s for sure.

The Farmer’s Market is a place for people to gather and shop for great food and items at a good price. The crowd always contains a mixture of the local scene with the college students and people who live around and in Arcata. Hanging around the plaza are the ever present transients, but they do their own thing. The buzz of live music draws dancers and other people into the square.

The vendors are who supply all the foods and products to the people. Kelly, who works for Shakefork Community Farms, said that there are many reason they come to the Farmer’s Market in Arcata.

“The location is why we travel to the Farmer’s Market,” Kelly said. “We also sell certain products more at other markets than others.”

But why do people come to the farmers market? Marisa Finlayson, a 19-year-old student, said she comes for a variety of reasons.

“I go to the Farmers Market because it bring people together with different types of interests,” Finlayson said. “The live music allows those who don’t want to purchase anything the opportunity to come and join in the Farmer’s Market festivities for free.”

While some people like Finlayson come for the live music, and others come for things they need.

Kallie Sorenson, an HSU student, comes to not only take in the music but for the food as well.

“I go for the fresh food and for the people watching,” Sorenson said. “If music is playing I will listen to it if I like it, but I don’t usually go for the music.”

While some people enjoy the live music, others enjoy meeting up with friends and hanging out at the Farmer’s Market. Some people enjoy the fresh food and flowers.

If you were to walk by the Great Hall on Friday, Oct. 18, you would have been enticed to come in. The sound of laughter, the smell of pizza, and seeing friends high-fiving after a win, were all part of the HSU Communication Club’s second annual night of Communication Through Gaming.

The night included games of all varieties, from board games, to table top games, to video games. The evening began at 5 p.m. in the Great Hall and ended at around 9 p.m. and was full of fun, snacks and friendly people.

“It’s really fun and it gets people involved in a non- academic way,” Searles said.

Approximately 15 people filtered in and out throughout the evening. The attendees wandered around and could partake in whatever games they wanted. Searles had the event in the Great Hall, so that way not only the people who know about the event show up, but also the people who are just going in there to hang out can join in on the fun.

Phil Bernard, a 23-year-old communication major, helped to set up the event.

“Emmy and I organized the event,” said Bernard. “We both created the posters and I brought a lot of the games,”

A lot of the games were not the average board games you would think of when going to a game night. A game called “Once Upon a Time” was popular. Each player gets a card that has her or his own happily ever after that they have to get to, while the entire group tells the story with other story telling cards.

“It’s a card game where you create your own fairy tale, get your own happy ending, while stopping everyone else from getting theirs,” said Searles, explaining the game.

It was Ryan Hickey’s, a 23-year-old political science major, favorite game of the evening.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Hickey. “The games are really creative or at least just very non-typical and it’s just really cool.”

Alongside the non-typical games were some classics. Bernard brought his Nintendo ’64 so the students could enjoy playing some of their childhood favorites. Several of the students played Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. for a while, getting very competitive, but still remaining good natured.

While some were playing on the Nintendo, others were playing Cards Against Humanity, which is essentially Apples to Apples for college students. Instead of just general word associations, like in Apples to Apples, Cards Against Humanity has references to pop culture and dirty jokes. You could hear the laughter of the players playing Cards Against Humanity over the groans of the players who had lost another round of Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros. to Bernard.

To end the evening there was a tournament of Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle played on the original PlayStation. This game included picking out teams of characters from the shows and movies of Dragon Ball Z to duel each other to the death. All of the players agreed to have certain types of characters in their team, such as having a team of all villains, or all aliens, to make it more interesting.

Five different players competed in the tournament, including Bernard and Hickey. The competition lasted for almost an hour and you could hear quite a bit of smack talk as it commenced.

In the end, Hickey came out as the champion. He cited his many hours of playing Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle as a freshman as the reason for his victory.

Searles was happy with how the event turned out. She is considering doing another game night this semester because everyone had such a great time. Searles was especially pleased that Communication Through Gaming got new communication majors involved in the club, and that several non-communication majors attended the event.

“It was a really successful night,” Searles said. “I think it would be a great idea to this again, and hopefully get even more people involved!”

St. Jude Benefit Fashion Show was held on Oct. 12. This is the third year that Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, has held the benefit fashion show for St. Jude hospital. And they hope to continue the tradition for years to come.

Catherine Lamb, 23. who is part of the sorority, said this event began in the fall of 2011 and has since continued.

“I was in an interest group and we wanted to find a way to raise as much money as we could possibly could,” said Lamb. “We are dedicated to our philanthropy.”

The fashion show drew quite a crowd and a lot of laughter. There was applause after applause and fun going on. It’s a good cause as to why they have these fashion shows. All the money fund raised goes to St. Jude hospital and the patients in need.

Dung Pham said she has a great time and the cause was worthy of it.

.“I like it,” Pham said. “And all of the money goes to the children in need.”

She wasn’t the only one to enjoy the show; many others seemed content with what was going on and what it was heading towards.

“I think it’s something very great that we’re doing — taking time out of regular life to do this,” said Lamb. “It’s nerve wracking and takes time but it’s worth it.”

Some thought of the event to be just okay but not spectacular.

“I thought it was interesting but I also thought there could have been more interactions,” said Ayala.

Pham called the show a success and said it would continue.

“Oh yeah. Definitely! For it being their third year they have accomplished and succeed,” said Pham.

Lamb hopes to continue it every year.

“We’ll do our best to have it every year,” said Lamb.

“Like I said they have it for a good cause but I don’t see the crowds getting any larger than what I saw,” said Ayala. “Still I believe that they will continue to put it on and appreciate what they get.”

The event they put on helps them raise money for the hospital and the children but there are other contributors to this wonderful cause.

“We get a lot of donations from locals and that helps us out as well,” said Lamb.

Lamb said this fashion show has improved over the last two.

“We learned how to organize and how to get participation from students and business. We have improved from our first two shows,” said Lamb.

Regardless of the amount of people the show is still held for the hospital and children in need. All of the money that they make that night goes straight to the hospital. St. Jude does not charge parents for their children.

“The hospital receives a lot of donations but the more help they can receive the better. That’s how they benefit from the show, because what we make that night we give to them,” said Lamb.

For a Friday once a month, the Humboldt Folklife Society puts on a barn dance where those of the Humboldt County area join to listen to music, dance, and have a good time.

As you walk into the Redwood Raks dance studio, you are welcomed at the door, pay $6, and walk in. The room has stringed lights hung up on the walls, and an empty dance floor. Everyone sits against the wall as they wait for the music to start. The caller, Sue Moon, who is in charge of leading the dances and calling out the dance moves, announces that it’s time to dance, which is when everyone stands up and moves towards the dance floor.

The band comprised of two men play up-beat, fun country music with the violin and piano. Everyone is light on their feet, and you can’t help but have a skip in your step as you dance.

“This is my first time. It was a very fun,” said Randy Terra.” I came because if you’re kind of timid about dancing this kind of structured dancing is fun.”

You don’t need to be worried about having a partner or knowing how to dance. Moon has you teaches you the dance before every song, has you practice it, and then when the music starts, calls out the dance steps as you go!

The barn dancing had previously been at the Veteran’s Hall in Arcata, but just recently moved to the Redwood Raks dance studio. When asked where he preferred the barn dancing, avid barn dancer, Bruce Hitchke, said, “I like the Veteran’s Hall more, but I come here pretty often.”

It’s great to know that even with the change of venue, barn dancers are still following the Humboldt Folklife Society’s event. The caller, Sue Moon, loves what she does.

Moon has been a caller on and off for 15 or 20 years. “I’ve been a caller for all different dances,” she said. I was raised on this kind of dancing, and my mother taught it.”

When discussing the move from the Veteran’s Hall to Redwood Raks, Moon had a very positive attitude about it, and loves the new venue.

“Redwood Raks is becoming the hot dance spot in town and it has great lighting,” said Moon, “Great ambiance already set up.”

If you have free time on a Friday night, check out barn dancing at Redwood Raks! It will be worth your while and will give you nothing more than the time of your life!

Table raging and beer kicking good times went down when The Blakes hit the stage at Humboldt Brews on Oct. 10. This indie rock, Brit punk band out of Seattle, Wash. was competing against two other bands that night for an audience. Although their show wasn’t the largest on the block, for what it lacked in size, it more than made up for in enthusiasm.

Monica Topping, KHSU member liaison and mother, said she doesn’t get to get out too often, but for The Blakes she makes the exception.

She first saw them live in Arcata about five years back, and then again in Portland where the members recognized her.

“It’s their energy that I love most,” said Topping.

Liz Morgan, a student at HSU, had never seen The Blakes live before. But when she recognized their name from an iTunes download years back, she said she had to come check it out.

“I clean upstairs, so I thought I’d pop down,” Morgan said. “There’s just so many good, inexpensive shows around here.”

And for Morgan, this one was no exception. Even for a near empty venue, the energy in their music was infectious and had Morgan, Topping and even some more senior couples shaking out their boots on the dance floor. On stage, the lead guitarist, Garnet Keim, responded to their enthusiasm by jumping up on the table and inadvertently kicking over his beer. The crowd’s response– buy him another.

After the show, Keim contributed his energy to what he saw mirrored in the crowd.

“It makes all the difference having enthusiastic people,” Keim said. But the fans are not what drive him to keep performing.

“There is nothing in the world like playing your own songs,” Keim said. “There is nothing better than that creative outlet. Lots of bands talk shit about who is the best, and it creates this antagonistic energy for who is going to be on top. I don’t want it, he said, and now I realize the irony. We are all fellow artists.”

The bassist, and brother, Snow Keim also had a positive outlook after the show.

“Life goes on y’know,” Keim said. “You do what you do, and I do this because it’s the only thing I do, I don’t know what to do without it. Everyday is a different show; I like the variability of it.”